syntax - Word order for "What is... that ... called?"


I am having difficulty with finding the natural word order in the following passive construction:



What are people called who do a lot of unnecessary work?


What are called people who do a lot of unnecessary work?


What are people who do a lot of unnecessary work called?



If I change passive to active, the sentence becomes natural:



What do you call people who do a lot of unnecessary work?


What does one call people who do a lot of unnecessary work?



But what is the preferred/natural word order, if any, in such sentences, provided I want to stick with the passive?


I was unable to invent a more generic and to-the-point title. Please fell free to edit if you do.



Answer



Your second sentence is not standard English. The other two are both fine, but the last one will become ever more problematic as you add words to the relative clause:



  • What are people who do a lot of unnecessary work and then end up having to start all over again called?


In such a case the first variation is much to be preferred.


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